The nonprofit group Animal Rescue Flights (ARF) has just made an important and fundamental change to the way they rescue dogs. It’s worth paying attention to.
ARF is a past recipient of the ASPCA Presidential Service Award. Since early 2008, ARF had been using their own proprietary software and an online meeting place for volunteer pilots. But just recently the group realized they could do more good by joining forces with Doobert.com and shifting all their volunteer transportation operations to the Doobert platform.
“Animal Rescue Flights has now officially transformed from being a reactionary organization to a proactive one. We can look forward to engaging a wide range of resources to help prevent today’s animals from becoming tomorrow’s rescue needs,” said Clark Burgard of ARF.
ARF is committed to addressing the cause of the animal overpopulation crisis by focusing energies on the tremendous spay and neuter issues rather than the effect that results in a never ending series of rescue flights.
I think Animal Rescue Flights sums up their new view or utilizing Doobert as the transportation organization platform of choice by saying, “Animal Rescue Flights encourages other organizations to join us in utilizing this robust rescue planning system. After all, it’s about putting the interests of the animals we save as the top priority.”
Animal Rescue Flights should also be applauded for their distribution of information to help the independent animal rescue pilot. Clark said, “The Animal Rescue Flights website will now offer pilots who choose to fly independently a resource for the safe and legal transport of animals. Far too many pilots are unaware of both the numerous safety issues and regulations and when transporting animals across state lines.”
ARF did not take this step lightly. With over 800 volunteers registered with their group they had garnered a lot of interest in their services over the years.
But here is why ARF felt the move to use Doobert made good sense for their volunteer pilots and rescues they assisted.
Q: Why the transport planning switchover to Doobert.com?
A: As with so many aviation transport groups, ARF’s rescue planning system was designed for air transports. Doobert.com’s rescue planning system utilizes a combination of transportation options (air and ground) which greatly increases the likelihood of successful transports.
Q: How does this affect the shelters and rescues who need transports?
A: We’re making it as easy as possible for shelters and rescues by moving our flight planning to a common platform and we’re encouraging all other rescue transport groups (air and ground) to do the same. This would benefit shelters and rescues tremendously as they would have a single place to submit their transport requests instead of with dozens of independent groups as it has become today.
“We’re encouraging all other rescue transport groups (air and ground) to do the same.”
Q: Why should other rescue groups follow ARF’s lead in utilizing Doobert.com for rescue planning?
A: Doobert.com functions neutrally and transparently so transports requested through any participating group, like Animal Rescue Flights, are planned by Doobert but are still ARF transports, for example. Doobert.com is a comprehensive rescue planning site, not a rescue organization, so rescue missions are credited to the rescue group that initiated the transport.
Q: What does this mean for pilots, drivers, airline crews, and fosters who sign up with Doobert.com?
A: Anyone who is geographically in a position to help with an animal rescue will be contacted regardless of the rescue organization that initiated the rescue. For example, if a shelter contacts a participating rescue group with a transport need, Doobert.com will put all available resources toward making that transport happen. The animals are transported and the rescue group and volunteers get the credit.